Duterte orders troops to occupy South China Sea reefs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to occupy and fortify all Philippine-held islands in the disputed South China Sea to assert its claims amid what he says is a race to control territory.


Duterte made the announcement on Thursday during a televised visit to a military camp on the western island of Palawan, near the disputed Spratly group of islands.

"It looks like everybody is making a grab for the islands there, so we better live on those that are still vacant," he said, adding his country was claiming "nine or 10" Spratly islands, reefs and cays.

"At least, let us get what is ours now and make a strong point there that it is ours."

China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea - despite rival claims from Southeast Asian neighbours - and has rapidly built reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military aircraft.

Duterte also said "bunkers or houses and provisions for habitation" were to be built, but it was unclear how his order can be executed.
  [aljazeera.com/News agencies]
6/4/17
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